The latest human remains were found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard on August 17. Because of the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie , who disappeared from her Tucson home months ago, on February 1, the discovery raised questions. Because of the harsh conditions, experts also say identifying remains in the Arizona desert can be difficult.
However, authorities said there is “no indication” that the remains are connected to her case.
His office receives up to 5,000 death reports each year and stores about 600 sets of human remains, the most of any county in the US.
Pima County has for years ranked among the highest in the nation for unidentified human remains, according to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System ( NamUs ). Harsh desert conditions, heat and animals speed up decomposition and many remains that arrive at his office are fully or partially skeletonized, Hess says. Hess said he has always been able to quickly rule out that remains found in Pima County belonged to Nancy Guthrie.
Why damaged remains complicate the case
The remains can also become damaged by the sun and animals, lose recognizable features and be scattered across large areas. This can make it harder for families and police to identify them and understand what happened, per CNN. Investigators have continued to search for her and are treating the case as a possible kidnapping for ransom. The investigation remains active, with authorities still working to determine what happened to her.
Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1.
